Diagnosis of oral potentially malignant disorders: Overview and experience in Oceania

Alison M Rich; Haizal M Hussaini; Muhammad Aiman Mohd Nizar; Ratu Osea Gavidi; Elizabeth Tauati-Williams; Muhammed Yakin; Benedict Seo

doi:10.3389/froh.2023.1122497

Diagnosis of oral potentially malignant disorders: Overview and experience in Oceania

Front Oral Health. 2023 Apr 6:4:1122497. doi: 10.3389/froh.2023.1122497. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Alison M Rich¹, Haizal M Hussaini¹, Muhammad Aiman Mohd Nizar¹, Ratu Osea Gavidi², Elizabeth Tauati-Williams³, Muhammed Yakin⁴, Benedict Seo¹

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
² School of Dentistry & Oral Health, Fiji National University, Suva, Fiji.
³ Dental and Oral Health Services, Ministry of Health, Motootua, Samoa.
⁴ Adelaide Dental School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Abstract

The diagnosis and management of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) should be the same the world over, but there are important nuances in incidence, aetiological factors, and management opportunities that may lead to differences based on ethnogeography. In this review, we update and discuss current international trends in the classification and diagnosis of OPMD with reference to our experience in various regions in Oceania. Oceania includes the islands of Australia, Melanesia (including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Micronesia and Polynesia (including New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga) and hence has diverse populations with very different cultures and a range from well-resourced high-population density cities to remote villages.

Keywords: Oceania; dysplasia; leukoplakia; oral cancer; oral potentially malignant disorders.

Publication types

Review